The present invention relates to an improved rolled material holder and more particularly to a rolled material holder which provides a holder for holding and dispensing rolled material, such as toilet tissue, paper towels and other such rolled material, which includes a release mechanism for aiding the replacement of the rolled material on the holder spindle.
This application is related to the Disclosure Document; No. 292069, entitled `Improvement Relative to Single Roll Holders/Dispensers`, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 26, 1991.
There are various types of rolled material holders available for all type of different materials. There are toilet tissue holders, paper towel holders, protective sheeting holders and holder for just about every rolled product in existence. The holders all typically have some sort of center supporting assembly between supporting brackets. In some instances the supporting assembly is a simple one piece spindle and in others it is constructed from a number of components acting together to support the rolled material.
In most of these rolled material holders, the center supporting assembly has to be removed from the supporting brackets to exchange the rolled material. The means of removing the supporting assembly also varies depending on the particular style of the holder. Typically, either the supporting brackets have to be flexed or repositioned or the supporting assembly contains a means of compression to remove the ends from the supporting brackets.
The supporting assembly having a means of compression, typically has a set of tubular members, one sliding within the other, and a spring which fits between the tubular sections to bias the sections outward from each other. Typically, when someone goes to replace the rolled material one end is first removed from one of the supporting brackets and then the empty core of the rolled material and the supporting assembly is removed completely from the brackets.
It is not uncommon that as the support assembly is being removed the supporting assembly springs apart into the various components. Most of the time this is somewhat expected and is most of the time a slight annoyance. Occasionally, the results of the `spring apart` can have disastrous or embarrassing results. An example, when changing toilet tissue the support assembly some times flies apart. It has happened that one or more of the components have landed in the toilet.
Sometimes in the compressible supporting assembly, the supporting assembly is not easily reached to be compressed for removable. This is especially true for the elderly and the young. Therefore, there exists a need for a mechanism to assist and aid in the replacement of rolled material and to prevent the `springing apart` of the components of the supporting assembly of a rolled material holder.
There has been some attempt in the past to address these problems. It is known in the art that there are push buttons mounted on the brackets which depress the end of the supporting assembly from the supporting bracket. These push buttons have been made in various configurations and applications. In all of the prior art, the supporting assembly is completely removed from the supporting brackets. It is unnecessary for the supporting assembly to be completely removed from the supporting brackets in most instances.
It is also known in the prior art to construct the supporting assembly with a sort of limiting pin which prevents the components from completely separating. But these limiting pins are not adaptable to all applications due to the particular construction materials used and the configuration of the components. In order to manufacture supporting assembly as economically as possible and to maintain competitive in the market, most manufactures have never incorporated or have eliminated the use of such limiting devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rolled material holder that is adapted to assist in the removal and replacement of a roll of rolled material on a rolled material holder. With the rolled material holder of this invention it has been found that it is easy and convenient to change the roll of rolled material on a rolled material holder.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved rolled material holder that is constructed to provide a means of changing a roll of rolled material in which the supporting assembly will not fly apart into its various components.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved rolled material holder that is adapted to allow the supporting assembly to pivot rather then being completely removed from the supporting brackets.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a rolled material holder that incorporates a knob for use in releasing an end of the supporting assembly from the supporting bracket.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a rolled material holder that is economically feasible to be incorporated into existing rolled material holders or assembled into a rolled material holder at the time of manufacturing which is affordable by the people.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rolled material holder which can be used on many different types of rolled material.
Yet another object of the rolled material holder of this invention is to provide a rolled material holder which can be used in either a commercial or in domestic applications.